How do you build a speed and distance mousetrap car?
The greater the ratio of the diameter of the axle to the wheel, the less force will be required to accelerate the car. In other words, you should match a larger axle with a smaller wheel to increase acceleration. Conversely, a mousetrap racer built for distance should have a smaller axle and a larger driving wheel.
Should a mousetrap car be heavy or light?
Lighter mousetrap vehicles will require less energy at the start and can use longer lever arms for more pulling distance. Always use lightweight components when building a mousetrap vehicle. bonus tip: lightweight mousetrap vehicles require less pulling force off the start.
What makes a good mousetrap car?
You’ll want to design your car to have a light body, have large rear wheels, and you’ll want to position the mousetrap as close to the front of the car as possible. Having a light bodied mouse trap car allows for less work to have to be done by the mousetrap getting the car going.
What kind of string is best for a mousetrap car?
The string has to be strong enough to handle the pulling force but flexible and thin enough to wind tightly around the drive axle. We recommend using a Kevlar based fishing line because its high strength. You should stay away from nylon fishing line and dental floss, these do not work well with mousetrap racers.
What is the most important thing to keep in mind when designing a mousetrap car?
Traction is a major issue when it comes to building a super fast speed-trap racer. If there is not enough traction between the drive wheels and the floor then your mousetrap racer will not be able to accelerate as designed. Use drive wheels that provide a lot of traction on the floor.
What factors can prevent a mousetrap car from rolling far?
The smaller the coefficient of friction, the more efficient your mousetrap car and the greater the travel distance will be. Finding the theoretical rolling friction requires placing your mousetrap car on a smooth and flat board or ramp.
Is weight important in a mousetrap car?
The greater your mousetrap vehicle weighs, the shorter the distance it will cover and the speed it will travel. This consequence is due to the limited energy within the mousetrap.
Where should the mousetrap be placed on a mousetrap car?
For optimal performance the mouse trap should be positioned on the chassis so that the tip of the lever arm falls directly above the drive axle when the mousetrap vehicle is in it’s fully wound position (as pictured bellow).
Where should I place the mousetrap for the best performance for distance?
For maximum travel distance, glue the back of the mousetrap 10 1/4 inches from the drive axle and do not change the length of the lever arm. For maximum speed, position the mousetrap 2 1/4 inches from the drive axle and cut the lever arm to a length of 4 1/4 inches.
Where should I place the mousetrap for the best performance?
For optimal performance the mouse trap should be positioned on the chassis so that the tip of the lever arm falls directly above the drive axle when the mouse trap is in the fully wound position (as pictured bellow). If the mouse trap is not aligned properly with the drive axle energy will be wasted off the start.
Does the length of a mousetrap car matter?
Vehicle weight is an important factor to consider reducing if your mousetrap vehicle is not traveling far enough. The greater your mousetrap vehicle weighs, the shorter the distance it will cover and the speed it will travel. This consequence is due to the limited energy within the mousetrap.
Are big wheels better for a mousetrap car?
Wheels and Axles Larger drive wheels will have a greater travel distance per each turn compared to smaller drive wheel. It would make sense to use a super huge drive wheel so for each turn of this massive drive wheel the mousetrap vehicle will travel an incredible distance.
What is the fastest mousetrap car design?
The Speed-Trap Racer is the fastest mousetrap powered racer anywhere and was designed after Doc Fizzix’s own record-setting mousetrap racer that traveled 5 meters in 1.2 seconds.
What happens if the mousetrap is placed too far from the drive axle?
6. What happens if the mousetrap is mounted too far from the drive axle? You will lose pulling force or energy to friction.
Is wood or cardboard better for mousetrap car?
Balsa wood, pine, or bass wood are excellent choices although balsa wood is somewhat brittle and hard to drill holes into without ripping. Other materials can also be used for making a light weight strong and stiff frame. These include Styrofoam, corrugated cardboard, plastics, aluminum and brass tubing.
Why do mousetrap cars use CDs?
Why do so many mousetrap cars use CD/DVD for wheels? Because CDs and DVDs are some of the best wheels you will ever find for building a long distance mousetrap powered vehicle. CD/DVD wheels can slice through the air with very little air resistance and they have very little rotational inertia.
How long should dowel be on mousetrap car?
If you have larger drive wheels, these should go on the rear axle and the smaller wheels on the front axle. Your axle dowels should extend past your wheel about 1″ (2.5 cm). around your dowel just outside each of wheels. The elastic band will keep the wheels from falling off of the car.
What do you put in a mousetrap car arm?
In most cases brass tubing and brass brazing rods make excellent lever arms because of their high-strength and light-weight. Wood can also make for a very strong and light-weight lever arm if it is used properly (see making a super long lever arm).
How do you make a super fast mousetrap car?
If you haven’t realized it yet, increasing the length of the lever arm attached to the mousetrap, increases the total mechanical advantage of the car. Therefore, to increase your car’s speed, you can reduce the length of the lever arm attached to the mousetrap.
How do you make CD wheels for a mousetrap car?
Simply fit your CD over the end of your axle and secure it tightly using a rubber band tied around each side of the wheel. Your axle should be small enough to fit inside the CD snugly. The tire has to turn with the axle, so it should fit as snuggly as possible.